reinfection

noun

re·​in·​fec·​tion ˌrē-in-ˈfek-shən How to pronounce reinfection (audio)
: infection following recovery from or superimposed on infection of the same type
reinfect transitive verb

Examples of reinfection in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web By age 20, about 50 percent of people have been infected and have antibodies that can help fight reinfection. Beth Mole, Ars Technica, 13 Aug. 2024 Antibodies from infection are believed to help protect against reinfection, the CDC says; about half of US adults have detectable levels of these antibodies by age 20, and more than 70% have antibodies by 40. Katherine Dillinger, CNN, 13 Aug. 2024 The risk of long covid after reinfection is not zero. Washington Post Live, Washington Post, 25 July 2024 But, experts say, no one should dismiss reinfections as harmless. Jamie Ducharme, TIME, 17 July 2024 See all Example Sentences for reinfection 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'reinfection.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1661, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of reinfection was in 1661

Dictionary Entries Near reinfection

Cite this Entry

“Reinfection.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/reinfection. Accessed 1 Oct. 2024.

Kids Definition

reinfection

noun
re·​in·​fec·​tion ˌrē-ən-ˈfek-shən How to pronounce reinfection (audio)
: infection following recovery from another infection of the same kind
reinfect
ˌre-ən-ˈfekt
verb

Medical Definition

reinfection

noun
re·​in·​fec·​tion ˌrē-in-ˈfek-shən How to pronounce reinfection (audio)
: infection following recovery from or superimposed on a previous infection of the same type
rescreening aimed at detecting reinfection following treatmentDiana Mahoney
reinfect transitive verb
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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